Non-immigrant O... visa run necessary?

[sbaker8688]

I have a 1 year non-imm O. Normally I do a visa run up to mae sai (currently living in chiangmai), but met a guy who swore to me that I could simply go down to the immigration office and apply for some extension or whatever - says he does it all the time. He was very insistent, and even went and got his passport to "prove" it to me. He showed it to me - had some kind of non-immigrant visa, but it didn't say 'O' on it. In fact it might not have said anything on it (it was british I believe).

So what's the verdict? It's getting close to that time again, so I need to make a decision on what to do soon.

Thanks.

[nowretired]

If you are married it is possible to obtain a 60 day extension "to visit the wife" from immigration, only one extension per entry.

[PoorSucker]

Yes, it is possible to get an 1 year extension of stay from immigrations.

On what bases do you have an O visa?

If on retirement you need 800.000 baht in a Thai bank or 65.000 baht/moth income or combination of the two.

If based on marriage or children, 400.000 in a Thai bank or 40.000 baht/moth income

[MJCM]

My guess is that that guy is on an extension of stay, which you also can do but you need to qualify for it.

If married to a Thai then 400k in a Bank Account or 40k income per month

if over 50 then 800k in Bank or 65k income or combination.

edit: Poorsucker beat me to it

Edited August 18, 2015 by MJCM

[Siriam]

my guess is that he's got a Non Immigrant O Multientry, otherwise why he needs to do the visa run to mae sai?

[MJCM]

my guess is that he's got a Non Immigrant O Multientry, otherwise why he needs to do the visa run to mae sai?

You are right about the OP, but what about his friend ?

[Siriam]

my guess is that he's got a Non Immigrant O Multientry, otherwise why he needs to do the visa run to mae sai?

You are right about the OP, but what about his friend ?

About his friend you're probably right, but I find weird that he forgot to mention about the requirements in order to apply for the extension without leaving the country...

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[Suradit69]

He showed it to me - had some kind of non-immigrant visa, but it didn't say 'O' on it. In fact it might not have said anything on it (it was british I believe).

It was a British non-immigrant visa? He showed it to you and you're not sure if it "said" anything?

I'm guessing it was a Thai immigration extension of stay, not a visa and, as others have said,the requirements would depend on the basis for the extension.

[sbaker8688]

He showed it to me - had some kind of non-immigrant visa, but it didn't say 'O' on it. In fact it might not have said anything on it (it was british I believe).

It was a British non-immigrant visa? He showed it to you and you're not sure if it "said" anything?

I'm guessing it was a Thai immigration extension of stay, not a visa and, as others have said,the requirements would depend on the basis for the extension.

Yes it didn't specify the category of the visa (O, B, etc), it just said non-imm. I thought it was strange and showed it to my friend nearby, who also thought it was strange. Then again, we are americans, so we figured visas for british might be done differently.

He isn't married, so that wasn't the basis for his extension. My friend speculated that it was some kind of retirement visa masquerading as a non-imm.

Note that I'm strictly interested in dodging having to go to mae sai for a border run if I can just walk into an immigration office. I say that because a lot of the responses didn't seem to apply to what I want to do. Basically I want some way for an immigration office to just stamp my passport or whatever and give me another 3 months without having to make this big stupid trip. This guy claimed he did it by just going to the immigration office, where as before he always had to make the visa run.

[nowretired]

He showed it to me - had some kind of non-immigrant visa, but it didn't say 'O' on it. In fact it might not have said anything on it (it was british I believe).

It was a British non-immigrant visa? He showed it to you and you're not sure if it "said" anything?

I'm guessing it was a Thai immigration extension of stay, not a visa and, as others have said,the requirements would depend on the basis for the extension.

Yes it didn't specify the category of the visa (O, B, etc), it just said non-imm. I thought it was strange and showed it to my friend nearby, who also thought it was strange. Then again, we are americans, so we figured visas for british might be done differently.

He isn't married, so that wasn't the basis for his extension. My friend speculated that it was some kind of retirement visa masquerading as a non-imm.

Note that I'm strictly interested in dodging having to go to mae sai for a border run if I can just walk into an immigration office. I say that because a lot of the responses didn't seem to apply to what I want to do. Basically I want some way for an immigration office to just stamp my passport or whatever and give me another 3 months without having to make this big stupid trip. This guy claimed he did it by just going to the immigration office, where as before he always had to make the visa run.

There is nothing unique or different between a Thai visa obtained in the UK and one obtained in the States.

If you want just want another 3 months you will have to leave and secure a tourist visa from a nearby country.

There is nothing immigration can do to assist unless as previously said you are married to a Thai in which case immigration could provide a sixty day extension.

[Siriam]

^{one thing is sure... you got me curious... I'd really like to see a shot of that Non Immigrant without category specification...}

[PoorSucker]

Note that I'm strictly interested in dodging having to go to mae sai for a border run if I can just walk into an immigration office. I say that because a lot of the responses didn't seem to apply to what I want to do. Basically I want some way for an immigration office to just stamp my passport or whatever and give me another 3 months without having to make this big stupid trip. This guy claimed he did it by just going to the immigration office, where as before he always had to make the visa run.

We still need to know the bases for your non-O, what non-immigrant visa your friend has is irrelevant.

[sbaker8688]

If you want just want another 3 months you will have to leave and secure a tourist visa from a nearby country.

As was said in the movie Coolhand Luke, "what we have here is failure to communicate."

I don't need or want a tourist visa, because I have 6 months left on my non-immigrant O. But you still have to leave every 3 months. Well, my 3 months is up next week, so I need to leave and come back.

Unless I don't. This guy said I don't - he said I just need to go down to the immigration office, fill out some form, and get some 'extension' or whatever he called it. Maybe it really isn't an extension, maybe I'm using the wrong word. Bottom line, instead of leaving the country and coming back on a standard "border run," he said just go to the office, do some crap, and call it a day.

I simply want to know if anyone has heard of that or not, and if it is possible. That's all.

Again, let me repeat. I HAVE 6 MONTHS LEFT ON MY NON-IMM O. So we are talking either doing "standard border run" where I get another 3 months free and clear before having to do it again, or we are talking going to some immigration office and accomplishing the same thing without actually having to do a border run.

Edited August 19, 2015 by sbaker8688

[Lite Beer]

Border run is the only option.

Do the last one just before the expiry date and get another 90 days.

[BritTim]

Like others, I am quite sure your friend has an extension. There are various grounds on which an extension can be possible, but none are automatic just because you have a Non-Imm O visa. The main grounds for receiving an extension are having a Thai spouse or dependent, having a work permit, or being over 50 years old and retired. In each case, there are further requirements that must also be satisfied.

Most likely, you want to continue with border runs rather than pursuing one of the valid grounds for an extension.

[nowretired]

If you want just want another 3 months you will have to leave and secure a tourist visa from a nearby country.

As was said in the movie Coolhand Luke, "what we have here is failure to communicate."

I don't need or want a tourist visa, because I have 6 months left on my non-immigrant O. But you still have to leave every 3 months. Well, my 3 months is up next week, so I need to leave and come back.

Unless I don't. This guy said I don't - he said I just need to go down to the immigration office, fill out some form, and get some 'extension' or whatever he called it. Maybe it really isn't an extension, maybe I'm using the wrong word. Bottom line, instead of leaving the country and coming back on a standard "border run," he said just go to the office, do some crap, and call it a day.

I simply want to know if anyone has heard of that or not, and if it is possible. That's all.

Again, let me repeat. I HAVE 6 MONTHS LEFT ON MY NON-IMM O. So we are talking either doing "standard border run" where I get another 3 months free and clear before having to do it again, or we are talking going to some immigration office and accomplishing the same thing without actually having to do a border run.

...

OK you have 6 months

You do not like the suggestions made here thats OK

You do not want to travel to the border for another 90 day entry. OK

Why not just ask the immigration office to resolve your problem ?

Or overstay and pay a 20,000 Bht .fine on depature

Seems there are no other options

[ubonjoe]

Did the stamp you saw look something like this.

As said you can apply for a one year extension if you qualify during the last 30 days of this 90 day entry or the next.

For being 50 years or older which would be for retirement. 800k in the bank for 60 days or proof of 65k baht or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht.

Married to a Thai or being the legal parent of a Thai. 400k baht in the bank for 2 months or proof of 40k baht.income.

[teambum]

I had a 1 year multi entry went to immigration did a 90 day report. When I left had to Pay $800 overstay. I would suggest if you have the same that you do the border run.

[sbaker8688]

Did the stamp you saw look something like this.

I don't remember the stamp, unfortunately. I just remember the visa itself, which did not say "O" or "B" or anything else, just "non-imm." It was strange.

The reason I wanted to see his visa is because I thought it was possible that different visas have different rules about either having to do a border run, or simply go to the immigration office.

At any rate, I will assume he was retired and had some retirement visa in disguise. So I will do the border run. Thanks.

[nowretired]

Did the stamp you saw look something like this.

I don't remember the stamp, unfortunately. I just remember the visa itself, which did not say "O" or "B" or anything else, just "non-imm." It was strange.

The reason I wanted to see his visa is because I thought it was possible that different visas have different rules about either having to do a border run, or simply go to the immigration office.

At any rate, I will assume he was retired and had some retirement visa in disguise. So I will do the border run. Thanks.

Just as a matter of interest on what basis did you obtain the multi entry visa and from where ?

[ubonjoe]

Did the stamp you saw look something like this.

I don't remember the stamp, unfortunately. I just remember the visa itself, which did not say "O" or "B" or anything else, just "non-imm." It was strange.

The reason I wanted to see his visa is because I thought it was possible that different visas have different rules about either having to do a border run, or simply go to the immigration office.

At any rate, I will assume he was retired and had some retirement visa in disguise. So I will do the border run. Thanks.

I suspect the stamp you saw was a non immigrant visa issued by immigration as part of doing a conversion to one based upon qualifying for an extension of stay. The 2nd line of it probably had the visa class shown as "O".

Embassies and consulates have not used stamps for several years now.